Takács et al. (2013), incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, teach that a blend of synthetic chemicals in combination with dry-rendered lard and cracklings provides an effective trap bait, for both mice and rats. A composition primarily comprising a core group of six attractive semiochemicals (2-hydroxy-3-methylcyclopent-2-en-1-one, butyric acid, 2,3-butadione, 3-methylbutanal, 5-methyl-(E)-2-hepten-4-one and γ-octalactone) provides a basis for attraction, and the lard and cracklings provide a feeding stimulant. Other semiochemicals that could be combined with lard and cracklings included: 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethylfuran-3-one, 5-methyl-4-heptanone, nonanoic acid, decanoic (capric) acid, dodecanoic (lauric) acid, tetradecanoic (myristic) acid, hexadecanoic (palmitic) acid, (Z)-octadec-9-enoic (oleic) acid, octadecanoic (stearic) acid, lactic acid and glycerol.
All testing by Takács et al. (2013) was done with female house mice, Mus musculus, and Norway rats, Rattus norveigicus. The attractive six-component semiochemical blend was given the trivial name Entice. It was equally effective against both sexes of both species. However, when the current inventors compared the response of house mice and Norway rats to Entice with lard and cracklings or to Provoke® Mouse Attractant or Provoke® Rat Attractant (Bell Laboratories, Inc., Madison, Wis., USA), respectively, female rats unexpectedly fed preferentially on Provoke. Thus the above composition may not have performed optimally as a commercial product used in certain operational settings. Improved compositions and methods equally effective against both sexes of both rodent species, and other rodent species, are desirable.